This disclosure is directed to homopolar magnetic actuators. Actuators for active magnetic bearings (AMBs) can be divided into two broad categories: heteropolar and homopolar. The division is based on the polarities of magnetic poles placed around the rotor: if in the absence of the radial loading the magnetic polarity stays the same all the way around the rotor at any given axial position, then the actuator is called homopolar; otherwise, it is heteropolar. Homopolar magnetic actuators have several important advantages over heteropolar actuators, including low rotational losses and ease of using permanent magnets to generate a portion of the total magnetic field needed to support the rotor, thus reducing power consumption, number of terminal wires, and the actuator negative stiffness. However, they exhibit a relatively small aspect ratio which cannot be changed much at the design stage. The latter drawback often complicates integration of homopolar radial magnetic actuators into machines where the aspect ratio of the available envelope cannot be changed easily. In contrast, the aspect ratio of the heteropolar radial magnetic actuator can be easily adjusted at the design stage.